A report by the education select committee calls on the Department for Education to develop a plan to incorporate mandatory PSHE education into the school timetable, addressing a major omission from the government’s 2013 overhaul of the national curriculum.
The committee says PSHE lessons would keep children and young people informed about healthy living and how to deal with potential safeguarding issues such as sexting, cyberbullying, child sexual exploitation, non-consensual sex and abuse.
The MPs’ intervention is the latest attempt to highlight the need to boost the quality and quantity of PSHE and sex education in schools. Last January, an amendment to the Children and Families Bill that would have made SRE compulsory in all schools failed to receive sufficient backing.
The committee's report says giving schools the option to provide PSHE education means some young people are missing out on SRE despite the fact the majority of parents, teachers and young people are in favour of it. It cites statistics from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles which shows the proportion of young people that said school was their main source of information on sexual matters has risen.
The report says those with schooling as their main source of information were more likely to have sex at a later age, compared with those who used non-authoritative sources.
The cross-party group has also advised the government to restore funding for PSHE teacher training, so that it can ensure at least one teacher with specialist training in PSHE is in every primary and secondary school.
Graham Stuart, education committee chair, said: “It is important that school leaders and governors take PSHE seriously and improve their provision by investing in training for teachers and putting PSHE lessons on the school timetable.”
The report also recommends schools work closely with parents over deciding the content covered in PSHE lessons, hold regular consultations with them and give parents the right to withdraw children from elements of SRE.
Lucy Emmerson, co-ordinator at the Sex Education Forum, said: “Support for statutory SRE has never been clearer – nine out of 10 students back legislative change, and more than three-quarters of parents want primary schools to teach about the difference between safe and unwanted touch, and how to speak up if someone treats them inappropriately.
“Although maintained schools are required to teach basic biology, the fact remains that SRE is neglected in too many schools and teachers want more training to teach this vital subject properly.”
Peter Grigg, director of campaigns and policy at The Children’s Society, backed the committee’s call for it to be made compulsory for all primary and secondary schools to teach PSHE.
“SRE can help keep children safe from harm now, as well as preparing them for the future. By teaching children about healthy relationships, consent and risks of running away or drugs and alcohol, it can empower children to make good choices and stay safe from abuse.
“The current lack of statutory status for SRE means many children will miss out altogether and will lead to poor-quality teaching.”
